


Rise of the Krogans - The Second Rebellion

by Crazycatlady89



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Action, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Politics, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Science Fiction, Tragedy, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-16
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-02 15:18:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6571285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazycatlady89/pseuds/Crazycatlady89
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>6 months after the defeat of the reapers Shepard is working temporarily as councillor, trying to reunite the tatters of civilizations left and heal through the devastating damage from the crucible explosion. As if that wasn't challenging enough news come in that the Turian councillor is making backdoor deals with the Krogans. Unwilling to yet again put herself at odds against an overwhelming military force Councillor Shepard puts her old team in motion to intercept the Turian councillors plan and stop the coming civil war before it has a chance to begin. As usual Shepard finds herself meeting closed doors at every turn, can she prove without a doubt that the Turians and Krogans are conspiring against the galaxy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Interview

**Author's Note:**

> I obviously do not own Mass Effect, otherwise both Jack, Samara and Miranda would be a romance option for Femshep. This is my first story for Mass Effect, criticisms as well as praise is always appreciated and welcome. I hope you will find this nearly as enjoyable to read as I find it to write.  
> There will be miniscule amounts of fluff but this isn't a romantic fic.  
> Expect a lot of politics and dialogue.

Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani wrung her hands nervously as Councillor Illaine Shepard, former Staff Commander Shepard of the Systems Alliance entered the room.  
The newly appointed Councillor walked with a hitch in her step caused by stiff tendons, but her smile was the same pleasant one Khalisah remembered.   
Their history together was a touchy subject for Khalisah, she had not always treated the Councillor with her due respect, even though the former Commander had done her utmost to be diplomatic with her in return.   
The mere fact Khalisah was here conducting this interview was testimony to the Councillors overbearing nature.

They shook hands “Pleasure to meet you again” Shepard said “If these interviews are to be a regular occurrence I think it better you come to my office, it’s a bit too crowded here for my taste” 

The councillor smiled but her eyes darted between the surrounding tables, they were mostly empty but given her knack for attracting trouble Khalisah found the paranoia understandable. 

“I am open to meeting anywhere you desire Councillor” Khalisah appeared to be flirting with her, Shepard did not look amused and said nothing.   
The reporter picked up on the other woman’s coldness towards her attempts at creating a more intimate atmosphere and moved the conversation on in a more professional tone “... I know I haven’t done you much justice in the past, I want to prove that it is behind me. That I can do this job with the same ruthlessness and diligence as you have with yours” 

The Councillors eyes snapped back to Khalisah “Good”.

Shepard punched her order into the Datapad and handed it to Khalisah who briefly glanced at it before waving it off, moments later a perky waitress was pouring spiced tea into clear glass cups without handles but intricately patterned with gold and red. 

Khalisah tested the tea and found it foreign but not unpleasant “This is colonial” She remarked “Somehow I imagined you would have plainer taste” Realizing the faux pas Khalisah quickly corrected herself “Being a former soldier I mean”.

Shepard inclined her glass towards the reporter “Above anything else it is my ability to adapt that has kept me alive this long Miss al-Jilani...” 

“Please, Khalisah to you” The reporter interrupted.

Shepard studied the reporter for a moment, discerning if that had been another attempt at something over familiar, she decided it was not “Very well, Khalisah. This is Mindoirian Tea, a favorite of mine from the colonies. One of the few luxuries I indulge in... It reminds me of old times” She smiled wryly as Khalisah picked up on her thought.

“Ah yes your home colony, I seem to recall reading that that particular colony was nearly plained into non-existence by the batarians...” 

The councillors eyes turned to steel and she raised a hand dismissively “You need not remind me Khalisah, as you might recall I was there”

Khalisah visibly paled “Yes. Yes of course. Excuse me Councillor that was tactless of me”

“If you are to write about me, my past is open to you, I only ask that we start at the beginning. I was 16 when the batarians razed my home, but I knew conflict long before that, reducing my life to a series of unfortunate events of which I miraculously walked out of alive has been done before, you need only look in the council archives for one such retelling, I have read it myself and found it rather uninspired. I assume there has been no trouble with your limited clearance?”

“None yet, but yes, from my first glances I agree the recollections there are rather more like military reports than a cohesive story. Though I found the recordings from your VisorCam extraordinary”

Shepard smiled, she considered herself lucky that the VisorCam had only been installed in her last years of service, though immoral Shepard wouldn’t mind the chance to omit a few details about some of her previous decisions.

“Those recordings have the chance to destroy a lot of lives Khalisah, I trust your discretion but I would be happier if you run whatever you are going to use by me first. The leaked recording about the Genophage is the reason we have yet another galactic war on our hands already, I trust you do not want another on your own conscience? I can attest to the weight of it” Shepard said with a grimace.

Khalisah nodded “Of course Councillor, the non-disclosure commitment your press secretary presented me with was clear on that. I intent to cooperate fully on this. After what happened with Emily Wong I don’t think there is a reporter in the galaxy willing to step on your toes”

Shepard dismissed that “Emily Wong did nothing wrong in confirming what the Krogan already knew, the cure was sabotaged on my orders and now the entire galaxy is suffering because of it. My reason for pursuing her was, I am sad to admit, entirely personal. Killing Mordin Solus was, and is, the biggest failure of my career and personally my largest regret. In doing that I showed the ugliest possible side of myself, that when it all came down to it, I was willing to shoot a trusted friend in the back because the need of the galaxy required it. It painted me, rightfully, as a liar and a diplomatic fraud. Had Emily Wong not stolen the recording the second Krogan rebellion would have come later when the world was better prepared for another war, and when I had explained properly to my crew why I did what I did. Once this war is over I fully expect to stand trial for what I did”.

“Last time you stood trial the reapers invaded earth”

Shepard smiled “It was merely a coincidence”

“Sounds like you still think you made the right decision though” Khalisah was leaning forward in her seat, her omnitool still recording and her eyes focused on the councillor, unblinking.

Shepard grimaced “Does it? With an overwhelming opposition against me, I made the only decision I could afford to make at the time. Nobody could anticipate the amount of military might needed to fire the crucible. Again and again I asked myself how I could justify putting my friendship with Mordin and my own integrity, above the fate of the galaxy?”

Shepard leaned back, her eyes wandering to the hustle and bustle of the city outside where sky cars raced to and fro, and neon signs blinked in and out of existence. 

“And then I remembered a conversation I had with a dear friend, he was the last of his race, alive long past his cycle. He asked if I would forsake everything that made me human to save the galaxy, when I could not answer, he said…” Shepard paused for a moment to control her emotions “Stand in the ashes of a trillion dead souls and ask the ghosts if honor matters” 

Shepard’s eyes held their thousand yard stare. When she spoke again her voice was somber.

“Before Mordin, I always thought that I should have said no. No, I cannot sacrifice my humanity for survival, but I was wrong. When you are holding the fate of every living being in existence in your hand, you sacrifice everything. Because in the end it is their lives not yours that matter. In a hundred years I will be nothing but dust, but the galaxy will remain, humanity will remain”

Khalisah did not know how to respond to that, her nails dug deeply into the flesh of her palm as the silence stretched between them. 

Shepard gentle nipped at her tea but made no effort to resume their conversation.

Finally the reporter caved under the atmosphere. 

“Thank you for your honesty“ she said awkwardly “I will send you some questions to think about, then we can look them over together… Eh. I think we better continue this another day Commander. I’m delighted to meet you again though even if it was very short, and I… I can’t wait to work on your book” Khalisah Bint Silan al-Jilani did not sound completely honest.  
She got up to leave, not realizing the mistaken title, not smoothing the creases in her dress as she normally would “I will set up another appointment with Miranda if that’s okay” 

Shepard nodded, still not looking at the other woman, “I will see you then” she said, and Khalisah left without another word.

Shepard refreshed her tea from the pot and filled the reporters empty glass, “Thank you” an invisible voice said “It was torture smelling it” the cushions of the recently vacated seat dented. 

“That was heavy”

Shepard didn’t feel like talking about it and switched the subject “I am surprised you didn’t sneak off, I see a lot of interesting people here” her eyes studied a nearby cluster of humans, all looking shifty eyed and sitting noticeably close to each other.

“And leave you alone with that pit viper?” The other scoffed “I’m not the precarious youth you remember me as anymore Shep. War changes everyone. Not just those calling the shots”

Shepard smiled, “Funny you should say that really. I never felt much in control... In the end there was always a right and a wrong choice, the world was just lucky that I had better moral fibre than most”

“Or better perspective” Kasumi said the air shimmering around her as she uncloaked.

“Must be my stellar education” They toasted and sat back to enjoy the silence before the rhythmic beep of Shepard’s omni tool necessitated that they once again become councillor and for lack of a better term bodyguard.


	2. Banter

Steve Cortez was waiting with the shuttle, Kasumi and Shepard got in and moments later Garrus joined them, He had been perched on the opposite building, watching the Councillor through his scope and looking out for trouble, Shepard was careful these days.

“How much longer are we going to deal with diplomatic bullshit?” The turian remarked, his mandibles twitching “I haven’t taken a shot at a real target in weeks”

Kasumi huffed “At least people are allowed to see you”

“I wouldn’t be a very good sniper if people could see me”

Shepard interjected “Since when are you a good sniper?”

“Hey! Remember doctor Michel? That was a human who knew how to appreciate a good shot”

“Only because she was piss scared you’d shot her as well” Shepard grinned.

Another Skycar cut in front of them making Steve swear loudly, the galaxy might be in shambles with yet another war brewing, but you can be sure that no matter how bad things get, people will always drive like assholes. 

Steve set the course for the Silversun strip.

Anderson’s old apartment had been joined with the smaller one next door to make room for a base of operations as well as a couple of small bedrooms for the squad members without apartments of their own.   
At the moment only Kasumi and Garrus stayed there permanently, while Steve mostly slept in the Normandy. The shady parking opportunities around the strip made a heavy shuttle like the Kojack a valuable target, and Steve couldn’t bear having it there overnight. Still it was infinitely better than allowing the Commander to drive around in some shabby Skycar.

“Either way, it’s gonna be good once they actually find a real councillor, this stuff is just a distraction. We should be on the Normandy right now rallying everyone against the Krogan” Garrus remarked.

Steve shook his head “The Clans have no fleet Garrus, they aren’t getting off Tuchanka anytime soon”

“Yeah but there are a lot of old cruisers in space right now, the Krogan are probably using what little they have to secure troop transports for a ground assault. If they get enough this thing is gonna snowball into an invasion force before we know it. Wreav isn’t exactly a picture of mental stability... or patience” 

Shepard nodded solemnly “Sounds about right Garrus, there are a few places they could hit that would really up their transport capabilities, right now we have to focus on getting everything spread out and protected, we can’t afford for them to take a commercial port like Hanshan or Omega”   
“And honestly I think I’m actually doing okay as councillor, the bureaucracy can get pretty dull but I can organize things on a much larger scale, as a spectre I felt like I was always asking people favors, now everyone knows I’m acting for the best of the galaxy”

“Saving their butts from Saren AND the collectors should have tipped them off a bit earlier if you ask me” Kasumi said.

“Not to mention the Reapers, you always seem to forget the Reapers” Garrus sighed.

“Hey, that was a busy time in my life, I’m not a history book” 

“We can’t be bitter about that, even if half the galaxy hate her right now, Shepard is still in the driving seat, she’ll see us through this” Steve said.

“Doesn’t make me feel very safe, you never saw her drive the Mako I felt lucky if we did a mission without ending ass up in some mountain range on the fringes of the operational area” Garrus sounded genuinely frightened at the memory.

“Hey! You try driving a ground vehicle in low gravity it’s like a fucking bouncy ball and you’re stuck in the middle”

“All I’m saying is the best thing that came out of the conduit was never having to drive that thing anymore, I can actually eat before missions now” 

 

Shepard quietly observed the citadel drifting by. Occasionally she would spot open wounds in the side of buildings, or soot marks where metal and plastic needed replacing. The reaper wars had left their marks, on the citadel and on Shepard’s body.

Once the dust settled and Shepard got back on her feet, everyone had looked to her for guidance, becoming councillor had been the logical step, people on earth where too busy rebuilding and sorting out the hierarchy after the reapers killed most of Alliance command. 

The team had mainly stayed together to help her, sometimes they strayed for personal business or on missions, but mostly Shepard found them hard at work in their new headquarters. 

Having lived so long on a ship Shepard instantly had dislike for all the unused space in Anderson’s apartment, and the vast amount of guest bedrooms and random seating areas where now converted into a fully fitted office for Liara with accompanying laboratory as well as a small gym with a walkthrough into the adjourning headquarters. 

Shepard legally couldn’t refuse getting Udina’s old office but she had made a point by installing a secretary there with an Quantum Entanglement Communicator that linked directly to her home office as well as the most tedious VI clerk Tali could programme.

The newly added apartment was still being outfitted properly under close scrutiny of Miranda Lawson and Samantha Traynor, it was beginning to look something of a clone to the facilities on the Normandy, though with more personal office space as well as a Tactical Operation Room, instead of the rather sombre war room on the SR-2. 

Miranda had returned to act as Shepard’s XO and experienced an increased respect from the crew after her role in disrupting the Reaper forces during the final battle. Her unique diplomatic experience made her irreplaceable in Shepard’s eyes and merely a necessary evil in some others.  
Most of the crew was aboard the Normandy ready for take off, leaving only a few desks occupied. Kelly Chambers was waiting right inside the doors. Experience told Shepard something was wrong and motioned the yeoman to follow into the corner she had made her office in, the only walled off area apart from the shooting range and the bedrooms.

As soon as the door closed Kelly laid it on her “The turian councillor just landed on Tuchanka” she crossed to a terminal and synced it with her omnitool, a voice bar popped up with a testimony from one of their sources at the docks. 

Shepard pressed one of the buttons on her desk terminal, calling everyone to the Tactical Operations and Strategy room to discuss the development. They had been watching the Turian councillor for weeks, noting some very suspicious behavior. Kelly updated her on the way there. 

Shepard crossed to her secure terminal and accessed the Spectre network. Sparatus had full access to the public channels there so she send a PM directly to Williams, requesting a thorough background check on Sparatus as well as any information on why he would go to Tuchanka. Shepard knew that the Spectre would understand the need for discretion.

Kasumi, Garrus entered within moments, and slightly later Liara followed by a very disgruntled looking Jack, which is to say, Jack as she looked normally.  
The human biotic crossed to the seating arrangement and carelessly put her dirty boots on the polished table in front of her “You rang Councillor?” She smirked in that particular unsettling way that always illustrated to Shepard exactly how damaged and humourless Jack was and always would be. 

Liara crossed to Shepard and kissed her cheek, positioning herself at the councillors shoulder. 

Kelly Chambers wasted no time in repeating herself “It appears the Turian Councillor has just landed on Tuchanka on the Turian flagship PFS Indomitable”


	3. An unlikely alliance

 

_ Kelly Chambers wasted no time in repeating herself “It appears the Turian Councillor has just landed on Tuchanka on the Turian flagship PFS Indomitable”  _

 

Everyone looked surprised apart from Liara who began punching in commands on her Omnitool. 

The screen on the end of the wall lit up and images started flowing, the PFS Indomitable as it took off from Palavan and landed on Tuchanka at Clan Urdnot high seat, then Councillor Sparatus exiting with his detail.

“This is all I have right now” Liara explained “I have no infiltrators high in the Turian hierarchy, but I’ve sent word to some of my agents on Tuchanka to get on board of that ship no matter the cost”

Garrus shook his head “No Krogan is going to step a foot on that ship, Sparatus probably has it fully manned for exactly that purpose”

“Good thing they aren’t Krogans then” Liara said smugly.

“What is it even doing there? The Turians are a council race, they can’t play friendly with the Krogan when a war is brewing” Jack spat out.

“Can’t they?” Liara looked shocked “They could be signing a peace treaty right now”.

Shepard lurched to her feet “I need to convene with the other councillors before this get out of hand, if Sparatus signs a treaty it is as good as treason” 

She turned to Kelly “Get everyone on to the Normandy, we need to be mobile before bureaucracy grounds me here for god knows how long” The yeoman nodded and turned to rally what little staff was at the office.

 

Liara ran to her own office, she still had her mobile command center on the Normandy, but full control was only possible from one position at a time, protecting her assets was crucial even though few people knew of her true identity as the shadow broker, her terminals were always vulnerable to attack. 

Shepard followed her, finger pressed to the ear, obviously talking to the secretary of the Salarian councillor, “Listen you wretch, this is the human councillor and even IF the Turian councillor is off world I am DEMANDING a meeting with your councillor now, put me through to him or I swear to god you will find yourself spewing that nonsense down the barrel of my gun”

“That’s better, now put both of us through to the Asari councillor. Please” She asked kindly.

The asari secretary must have been a bit more cooperative because within a moment Shepard found herself at her the Quantum Entanglement Communicator in her office, looking at one Asari, scantily clad in little more than the trademark Asari smirk, and one nearly blind Salarian squinting awfully as Salarians are want to do in brightly lit rooms.

 

The two councillors looked unimpressed at Shepard when she materialized in front of her. “What is the hurry?” Valern said as Tevos declared “Surely if this is an emergency we should be in full numbers? Sparatus is still within call distance I see”

Shepard nodded, “Personally I have little reason to call Tuchanka these days but perhaps you know more about that than I do”.

Both councillors looked genuinely stunned.

“I just got word he is meeting with the Krogan Clans, my sources speculate he could be signing a treaty...”

“Impossible” Vanern interrupted.

“Quite contrary”, Shepard forwarded the pictures of the SFV Indomitable.

Tevos frowned“This hardly proves there is a treaty underway… Though I admit his presence there is damning in itself, what certainty is there that is why he is there?”

“If this was a mission to soothe the Krogan I imagine both of you would be present as well? or at least informed, Sparatus has gone behind our backs with this, why else?”

Vanern snorted “That is hardly compelling evidence, we need reasons Shepard”

“So I have your blessing in escorting Sparatus back to council space so he can give an account of his conduct?”

 

The two councillors glanced at each other. “The Krogan DMZ is still very much council space, no matter the current unpleasantries, Sparatus will return on his own accord” 

“And what happens when he doesn’t Vanern? Will you let him flee to the terminus systems or back into the arms of Palavan and the Primarch who would rather have war than to admit error?”

“Control your emotions Shepard! As long as we keep this quiet there is no reason Sparatus would know that we know, he will return”.

“Yeah he will, with the flagship of the Turian fleet, how long before he takes control of the Citadel and the council then? Who do you think the Council fleet will shoot at, us or their countrymen?”

“You are out of line Shepard! Your xenophobic views are not the concern of this council, neither is your paranoid desire to see enemies everywhere! This meeting is over” Vanern sputtered and flicked off his communicator, Tevos hung around a moment more, a wry expression on her face “Your intuition rarely let us down in the past Shepard, I trust you will be discreet with whatever you are doing” 

Her eyes held Shepard’s for a moment before she terminated the connection.

 

Shepard flopped back in her chair. She had used up her anger with the council’s inefficiency long ago, now she just felt empty, and as usual when the hard decisions had to be made, alone.

“That went well” Liara joined the Councillor, clearly having listened by the door.

“As good as I could have hoped” Shepard sighed, “I wasn’t expecting their back up anyway, what good would it be? The Asari homeworld is shattered and their fleet demolished, the salarians barely had any to begin with and their flagship is orbiting earth in about eight thousand tiny pieces. 

“The system alliance is going to be standing alone” The commander looked sullen at the thought.

“We stood alone before, and we will again if we need to. If there is even a chance to salvage this before a full scale war I know you will take it” 

“We will, but I’m hardly the posterchild of galactic peace in Krogan eyes. We need a better bargaining position and a better representative... One who doesn’t shoot Krogans in the back” 

“Will it matter when half the guns pointing at us is Turian? You have the Primarchs confidence, and Garrus’, their councillor only has so much pull on Palavan. Without Victus the fleet won’t move an inch” 

“If he believes me over his own councillor sure. We can’t know what political scandal he’s brewing Liara”

“Can’t we?” She smirked. “I’m taking a skycar to the Normandy now, with any luck I will have some intel once you get there”. 

The commander nodded once, “I will see you there”.

 

Shepard walked to her personal armoury and began stripping, her uniform was better now but still molded in that familiar N7 style. The logo of the council on the shoulder and chest had replaced the gleaming N7 mark and it was no longer flanked by her spectre authentication. 

Shepard disliked the uniform, the materials were better, stronger, lighter, but highly polished and adorned with gold and an ostentatious mock cape that covered one of her shoulders. 

Her new position required her to wear this kind of ceremonial armor, but her practicality had demanded the additions be detachable and the armor fully serviceable.

Shepard held the helmet, it was a new kind that fully covered the face with a platinum enforced glass layer normally coated in black, hers was golden and awfully potent at reflecting even the smallest ray of light. It was another mark of rank, one she hadn’t been able to change.

She snapped the helmet tight and secured her sidearm just as Garrus entered, “Cortez is on his way to the normandy with Liara and the crew, do you want to wait for him to return again?”

“We waited long enough, you have your car outside?”

Garrus grinned “Kasumi is warming the engine now”

 


	4. A good day to die

“We waited long enough, you have your car outside?”

Garrus grinned “Kasumi is warming the engine now”

Flanked by Garrus, Shepard turned to exit their now almost empty office, Miranda was with her secretaries at some conference or other with a couple of big time Vogus weapons manufacturers trying to set up a joint product line with Kassa fabrications, leaving the building behind her utterly devoid of human life.

As she stepped out the front doors Shepard mused at how different councillor life was to her usual spectre duties, different yet…

Everything was soundless, for a lingering moment she flew through the air. Her breath pressed out of her lungs by the force of the blast. The last time she felt like this they had been deep into the Omega systems, it was dark around her and she was slowly drifting towards Alchera while she suffocated. 

Now everything was bright white like a flashbang went off. 

Shepard realized that she wasn’t weightless in space when her body slammed against an overturned car. For one brief second she had thought that she was dying again.

The sound of a roaring fire dispelled any thought of death. Shepard didn’t believe in hell. Or heaven.  
The suit VI is telling her that her bones are whole, it doesn’t feel like it because her left leg crackled and refused to support her properly when she peeled herself of the side of the skycar.

Why was she here?

The citadel was burning again. How nostalgic.

Memories of the last moments before the world exploded around her came back into focus. “Garrus?” She spoke into her omnitool comm, but the earpiece must’ve been broken because she can hear nothing.   
She flicked on the helmet radio and heard joker’s voice “Ground units report in, this is Home. Ground units, codename Collie, Fang, Box, Doc and Grim please respond, this is Home”.

Miranda responded instantly “Grim in, I’m pinned until I can dig out my assistants” 

Joker’s voice sounded relieved “You need help? Things are looking pretty tight out there”

Miranda responded instantly “Negative Home, we have help on site, any news on Collie?”

Shepard chimed in “I’m safe but no sign of Box or Fang yet, just getting my bearings before I look for them, who’s firing on us? Any sight of hostiles?” She desperately tried to blink the white spots from her field of vision.

“Negative Collie, we’re orbiting now, no sign of hostiles, might have been a precision strike from within the citadel itself but the comms are going crazy, nobody knows where it came from”

Shepard began uncovering the door to the Skycar, it was turned on the side windows covered in soot and grime making it impossible to see if Kasumi was in it.

“How bad are the damages?” Shepard asked, hoping Jokers birds eye view could give her some much needed tactical information. 

“Eh, hard to say, seems the explosions are limited to your arm, maybe two or three places as bad as the Silversun Strip. Couple of smaller fires as well”

“Grim I’m going to need you here to deal with the fallout, our window to catch them in the act is closing rapidly”

Shepard could feel Miranda sigh though the comm “You have a really bad habit of doing things in the completely wrong order you know, Citadel security is mustering let them handle it”

Shepard ignored her “Any news from the rest of the crew?”

“That’s a negative Collie first shuttle is stalled somewhere near the dock, their comms are down or blocked, I’ll ping their last location on your map”

“Righto, stay in orbit Home, we’ll collect the shuttle and flag you for pickup” Shepard said as she helped Kasumi out of the overturned Skycar. 

Together they began searching for Garrus, finding him ass up in a pile of rubble, rubbing a scraped mandible but thankfully looking no worse for wear.

The Turian swayed a bit on his feet so Shepard and Kasumi gently sat him down until he could regain his bearings. 

“You’re too popular for your own good” he muttered wryly, while rubbing his dented skull. 

“Must be my rugged good looks” Shepard quipped while pulling up her map, her omnitool was damaged causing it to flicker in and out of existence “We have quite a bit to go, there is a car rental down that elevator there”  
Kasumi checked her weapons “I’ll go ahead”. The thief stalked towards the elevator just as it opened, revealing a Krogan wearing the standard heavy armor of his race and wielding an overdimensioned shotgun; he stepped out and opened fire with a resounding roar. Kasumi sidestepped the barrel and fired half a clip straight into his face, each projectile hit with a moist thud amplified by the telltale hollow ring of a Krogan skull.  
“Home this is Collie, we have ground hostiles” Shepard called in. Her omnitool displaced several incoming connections but without her ear piece she had no choice but to ignore them.

“Push on”

The high pitched sound of Garrus’ sniper rifle seemed to drown out everything else. Shepard was leaning against an overturned bench, looking for a functional Skycar to highjack. Kasumi had stalked away but Shepard trusted that she was doing something useful. With a sigh she cocked a new heatsink into her assault rifle and leaned in for a clear shot.

“Commander I have Doc on the line, she’s with Ranger on the Kojack, headed for our position”

“Roger that, let’s clear that balcony for pick up”

A blur followed by half finished screams told Shepard that the group she had been firing at was gone. 

“All clear Shep” Kasumi called just as the Kojack landed with an uneven bump on the nearby balcony. 

“Let’s get out of here”

Shepard was relieved to see Liara reaching out of the kojack to help them in, she accepted the outstretched hand with a smile.

Onboard the Normandy Shepard was met with inquisitive glances.   
Even though Shepard had insisted they abandon most military practice she was still saluted by the crew as she walked towards the cramped war room with Kelly Chambers.  
“The councillors are requesting a conference, Captain Bailey has left a message and is standing by to debrief you whenever you are ready, there is also a request from Systems Alliance admiralty to report on the situation at the citadel” She handed a datapad to Shepard with a message from Miranda.

Shepard, I made a brief statement about the attacks, the councillors will probably ask you to join for a short press conference. Call me if you need me.  
Ps. don’t lose your temper now, there is a lot at stake and we have to play nice with Sparatus if he’s there.  
Miranda.

Attachment: Citadel attack notes.

As Shepard walked towards the QEC in the adjourning room she wondered once again how Miranda always seemed to know everything that was going on, while apparently being busy with her own duties as well.


	5. My true enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another politics heavy chapter. I am afraid its necessary to establish the plot but fear not, the next chapter will have some actiony goodness. I am attempting to "recreate" the game experience where you often have long periods of plot establishment and general banter, followed by some fast paced action were a lot of things seem to happen at once.

 

Shepard stepped onto the platform and found herself in a underground conference room, the kind that made up for lack of light by being overly spacious. The cavernous room was lined with great sheets of enamelled metal and lit from above by phosphorescent light. All together it gave the impression of trying much too hard at being important.

Around Shepard's crisp hologram a table bent into a half circle, worried and angry faces directed their attention to her appearance, letting their conversations die. Shepard was still wearing her uniform which looked slightly worse for wear, the explosion having scraped the paint in several places. Being no stranger to scrutiny Shepard stood tall, back straight and arms crossed behind her back. When she looked at the military uniforms in front of her she subconsciously searched for the familiar form of Anderson before chided herself for forgetting. 

With so many dead Shepard found herself lapsing into memories of happier times more than often. She had been lucky to safe so many of her own team, but sometimes she wondered if she had ever truly saved a life, or just traded one for the other.

_ Wrex, Kaidan, Thane, Anderson, EDI, the geth. Thousands of minds snuffed out forever. Samara holding that gun to her head, just about to squeeze. _

That little voice inside her head that kept her fixed on her duties called her attention and she slipped into a casual military stance, chin held high eyes fixed somewhere above their heads.

The board consisted of the defensive ministers and the interspace liaisons; each representing one of the united earth nations, as well as a few admirals flanked by faces Shepard didn’t recognize and was none too interested in. Fleetingly she imagined they represented some of the growing colonies that had little military support to offer but otherwise had found ways of making themselves important.

The European Liaison sat in the middle seat indicating she was the current moderator for the group so Shepard turned her gaze to her, waiting to be addressed. The woman had short grey hair and spectacles as narrow as her eyes. Shepard had interacted with her before and knew the woman to be a shrewd negotiator who had very little tolerance for detours or explanations.

“Councillor Shepard” She began, Shepard noted a slight disdain in her voice “We have received reports that the Citadel has been attacked by terrorists, however our sources seem to be unsure from where the attack originated. Is it true that you were the target?”

“I can confirm that I was one of the targets, if not the primary” Shepard looked at the board “It appears that several members of my staff has been targeted but I have no intelligence that any other lives are in immediate danger. I have boarded my crew onto the Normandy for security reasons we will stay clear of the Citadel”

A few of the Liaisons looked uncomfortable.

The moderator nodded but her looked shared very little concern “It is no news that the entire universe wants you dead, it is a risk we calculated with extreme care before allowing you to take up this mantle”

Shepard gritted her teeth but remained silent. The chairwoman's choice of word grating on her tattered nerves.

The moderator continued “Have you uncovered anything in regards to the identity of the terrorists?”

Shepard sighed internally wondering how many times she had stood before a board of powerful people, about to argue a case she was sure they would be reluctant to hear.

“So far I have only suspicions, but they are based upon solid evidence. I request more time to confirm my suspicions before presenting them to you, as well as the corporation of the N7 special operatives currently deployed”

An older man whom Shepard recognized as the  African defense minister nodded approvingly “Your instincts have rarely let us down in the past Councillor Shepard but the Earth councillor has no jurisdiction to command Alliance soldiers. The fact you have retained your position onboard the Normandy is testimony to the extraordinary leniency shown by this council”

“With all due respect the ship and crew I command are not of the System Alliance. The Normandy SR-1 is no longer active”

His approval fast dissipating the African Defense Ministers agreeability faltered “But it’s technology belongs to the Alliance and so does your loyalty. You test it by refusing to turn over the new Normandy”

“My loyalty has never wavered. The Normandy SR-2 was seized by my authority as Spectre from a hostile terrorist organization and I alone command it. My loyalty to this council does not extend to giving up the advantages that keep me alive”

A younger man with a scowling sort of face looked at the Councillor with distinct disapproval “You speak about loyalty but what does the Councillor have to gain by not giving us fair warning? If the terrorists are working with a nation we risk Civil War”

Another defense minister dismissed him “We are already in the midst of Civil War in case you have not noticed. The Krogans are on the move, I would not be surprised if Councillors Shepard’s evidence was already pointing in that direction”

The Moderator stepped in “Is that true Councillor?”

Shepard couldn’t lie when asked directly “Yes, we all know the Systems Alliance could be facing a Civil War with the Krogans. My evidence as well as this premature attack indicates it could come sooner and more powerful than we initially feared. The Krogans are reaching out and I fear they have been heard”

“Powerful? Explain yourself” The Moderator demanded.

“I have no confirmation yet, but before the attack I was on my way to investigate a lead connecting the Turian Councillor with the rebellion”

The board shifted uncomfortably in their seats at these news.

“I am currently on my way to Palavan to speak in confidence with the Primarch. Whatever plans Sparatus have I will make sure that the Primarch does not come to share them. If I do not report back I assume you will take the necessary precautions and prepare for war with both nations”

“The Turians have been our trusted allies for decades, we have no reason to believe they would choose their natural enemies over us” A Liaison added.

“I fear my actions might have something to do with that Shepard regrettably admitted, it is no secret that I sabotaged the Genophage cure and stunted the Krogans chance of rebuilding, or that I pulled Victus from Palavan in the heat of the battle to play politician…”

Again she was interrupted “Actions that may well have won us the war!” a friendly but unknown minister reminded her.

Shepard nodded “Perhaps, but also a great many enemies”

“I see no reason to drag this out. Councillor, you obviously have work to do. We cannot afford to provoke the Turians or the Krogans by putting all our special operatives under your command. We will discuss what resources we can spare and continue building our defences”

“Another thing, please” Shepard asked “Right now we are only in danger of a Krogan ground assault. I would suggest we take precautions by fortifying our commercial ports”

The moderator waved her off “Yes yes, that much is obvious. You are dismissed Councillor”.

Shepard saluted out of habit and stepped away from the platform.

 

Shepard punched in a command on the terminal in front of her.

Moments later she was facing the other councillors. Much to her chagrin they had already been joined by Sparatus.

“Kind of you to show up Shepard”

Shepard dug deep and found a smile for the traitorous bastard. “And I thought assassination attempts were such a good excuse for tardiness” she joked without breaking his stare “I trust you are well Councillor?”

“I have had better vacations. Either way… What is the status of your team? My esteemed colleagues seem to think you and your staff was directly targeted” 

“No casualties, bit of bump and scrap es. Whoever is behind this clearly didn’t know who they were dealing with”

Sparatus scowled but quickly smoothed his expression into something akin to concern.

Vanern interrupted “Yes yes, that is all very well but we have a frightened city to address, we need to know what we are going to say”

Shepard let the other councillors make a rough disposition. When they broadcasted she said very little, allowing the Turian councillor to drone on and on about unity in troubled times and righteous vengeance against the culprits.

 

When Vanern cut his connection to take care of urgent business the Turian Councillor seemed all the more interested “And your plans now Shepard? I assume you have leads on the attack since you are already onboard your ship.”

“No solid leads yet, I am heading to Omega to investigate a dead end”

Sparatus nodded “Good luck in your search” and signed out.

Tevos seemed worried “Shepard, I trust you are on your way to Palavan now?”

“Where else?”

For unknown reasons Tevos leaned in, as one child whispering a particularly saucy secret to another “I heard rumors. Someone is challenging the Primarchs claim, saying the elders made a mistake when determining succession. I fear for Victus’ life, as well as any success you might have in preventing this war”

Shepard fought back her shock “Thank you Tevos, I appreciate it”

“We should be working together to fight this” The Asari Councillor looked pained for a moment “I have failed you in the past Shepard. I con…” A loud bump interrupted their conversation, Tevos looked around with worry in her eyes “I can’t speak any longer, I have agents on my way to help you. Stay safe councillor”

The human councillor felt an immediate stab of concern for the Asari and made a mental note to check up on her soon as possible. Tevos had not always been her closest ally but Shepard always felt the woman was stubborn but completely impervious to corruption. 

 

In the meantime however she had other concerns she quickly gave Captain Bailey a run down of the events and asked that he secure the perimeter of her apartment and confiscate any compromised equipment. In her hurry Shepard had not stuck around to assess the damage. If anyone succeeded in breaking Liara's encryptions it would be really bad news.

 

Shepard checked her messages, she was glad to see Miranda apparently approved of her rather terse contribution to the press conference, it was another message however that called her attention. She was not surprised to see that it was from Victus.

 

_ Shepard _

_ My agents say that there is a conspiracy brewing and I find myself running short on trusted employees. The Shadow broker has confirmed that Councillor Sparatus might be working against me.  _

_ If that is true it can only mean that my successor, a slimeball by the name Rirato is working with him. Whatever they have planned with the Krogan it cannot possibly be good so I am forced to assume my time as Primarch is rapidly coming to an end. The signs are here and they cannot be ignored. _

_ Under other circumstances I would gladly take the challenge to dispatch the traitors myself, but I fear for my people under Rirato’s rule. _

_ Shepard I can only request your presence but you know it is sorely needed. I am currently moving to a safehouse on the moon Menae were we first met. I think you will know where. _

_ If we do not meet again I hope you will know that correcting the right of succession is imperative. Garrus will know it, and he will know when it is safe to stop. I cannot officially condone killing Turian noblemen, but you of all people understand that sometimes you have to sacrifice everything to do the right thing. My son taught me that. I hope his lessons was not wasted on you either. _

_ It shames me to admit but the Turian people need you. _

_ Primarch Victus. _


	6. Extraction

Shepard headed to the CIC, the added weight of her body armor made her body feel heavy and her hard soled boots slam loudly against the floor grills. The helmet clicked to her belt flopped about and her cloak billowed until she reached up and unfastened it, clenching it in her hand as she went.  
Joker was seated in his usual spot, sharing his attention with the front viewport and a terminal placed at his side.  
He didn’t joke much anymore but he still managed to acknowledge his Commander with a curt nod. 

Shepard didn’t think his boyish face would ever look truly grown up but since EDI’s passing he appeared to be sleeping less and less, giving him an rather haunted look. Trauma has an odd effect like that, it can age people instantly without the need of time.  
Shepard knew that the terminal at his side contained a backup version of EDI. Shepard had long wanted to ask him why he didn’t just activate her, he had not answered and he didn’t need to, she knew why.

EDI was dead, no reason to have her ghost roaming on the ship when none of her memories would follow.  
The stripped AI meant the Normandy wasn’t fully operational yet, but all the techs were working restoring the AI core to full functionality before reinstalling EDI, or whatever she would be called once Joker was done with her.  
With a new war brewing Shepard imagined the new AI would be up and running soon. If anything out of necessity.

Necessity.

Shepard tasted the word and found that no matter how often she had to swallow it, it still tasted slightly too bitter to go down smoothly.

“We have a new course, how much further to the Relay?” Shepard asked.

Joker flicked the display on a nearby screen “Bout two minutes”

“Set our new course to Menea”

“Same system, won’t make much difference”

“I know. But the plans have changed, we need to go in as quiet as possible. Victus didn’t give a specific location but I think he is the same place we found him last time”

“Nice of him to make it easy” 

The corner of Shepard’s lips pulled back “Nothing’s ever easy Joker” 

Shepard strapped in for the FTL jump, not that it was necessary, she just knew that was something EDI used to do.

 

Palavan really was a beautiful planet when it wasn’t on fire.

The first time she saw it the atmosphere appeared to be burning, now it was a dull blue with darker blue landmasses perfectly framed against a backdrop of stars and distant planets. One day Shepard would like to land there, not because she was getting one Primarch or the other but simply to witness the rock that made humans shameful to call Earth The Blue Planet.

The rhythmic hum of the stealth drive drowned out the clang of boots and engine sounds, it was pleasant in a way that made Shepard wish that these flights would take just a little longer. There had been so little time since she sat in the Citadel drinking tea with a former enemy.  
She hastily flipped through the messages on her omnitool but there were too many to deal with so she left them.

“Call the crew to the war room” She ordered.

“Aye aye commander” 

In better times the War Room had been stuffed with people when they gathered. Now it was barely half full. Shepard had most of her administrative staff which was a blessing.  
Looking around she realized how many of her squad had died or moved onto other things. Others stayed out of obligation like Tali’Zorah whom Shepard knew had important duties with the Flotilla. From what Shepard had heard the Qurians had a hard time adjusting to having a home planet again.

One of the faces present surprised Shepard. Samara had chosen to come.  
The justicar had spent her days locked away on the ship, refusing to talk to anyone or resume her work, they had given her the space she asked for but Shepard desperately needed her back in active duty, that meant mentally anguishing yourself over your mistakes and failures later. That is what Shepard would do.

The Justicar hung back, leaning against a rail and looking every bit like she regretted coming.

Jack had a frown on her face. The biotic would never admit it in a million years but Shepard knew it had been hard for her to leave the Citadel without Miranda.

“Here’s the plan” The Councillor said, straightening her back and scanning the faces gathered there.

Shepard opened a holo of Menea and pointed at two locations. Their first touchdown on the moon and the place they previously found Victus.

“There are two possible spots he could be hiding in. We don’t know which one and frankly it won’t matter. What does matter however, is our timing. Right now nobody knows we are here which normally means someone we really don’t want to meet knows, or worse several someones.

In order to prevent the Primarchs untimely demise due to improper scheduling we will launch two extraction teams. We don’t want him shooting one team in the face however so Garrus, you lead one team while I lead the other.

Garrus, you Kasumi and Samara…” She glanced at the Justicar who nodded curtly, her eyes never quite making it to Shepards “... will go here, to the place we picked him up last time. I will take Liara, Tali and Jack to the initial landing site. I don’t think we will meet any hostility but… well you know how it normally goes. Nobody but us know where we found the Primarch the last time, so if there is an ambush it will be here” She tabbed the initial landing zone and grimaced.

“Any questions?” Shepard looked around at her squad. “Alright. Suit up, we’re almost within launch distance.”  
The team shuffled out of the war room and into the nearby elevator.

 

It’s odd really, how quickly a place becomes familiar when you shed blood there. Or well, the corpsy liquid that husks have in them that reminds one of blood but somehow manages to be something completely different and infinitely more sinister.  
In her minds eye Shepard placed several metal shelters around her in the appropriate divots where they had been removed; not to make room for anything but simply because they were still functional and Turians were a highly practical race when it came to those things. Other shelters had their roof caved in or had been undermined by stray blasts, making them little more than scrap metal. With so much debris floating around in space it wasn’t worth wasting manpower reclaiming it.  
If the cities on Palavan looked anything like those on earth there would be plenty there as well.

The earth crunched under their boots. A thick layer of dust and sand covered up the majority of the desiccated corpses that were strewn about, some barely more than skeletons clamouring for the sky; the harsh winds having stripped them of their flesh and turned the bone pearly white.  
Shepard tried not to think about the snap, crackle and pops as they moved forward through the outpost.

A quick survey of the area didn’t yield any results. The thick top layer of dust coating the ground beneath their feet appeared undisturbed apart from gentle ripples where the kojacks thrusters had blown it out of its wind carved shape.

Shepard had to fight the instinct to hold the trigger on her assault rifle for comfort. Last time she was here the air had carried screams of an endless horde of husks. Every turn promising dry blue fingers clawing at her helmet and teeth stained silver biting at her exposed face.  
The snap of an old heatsink breaking under her booth sounded eerily like the snapping of bone and the gentle clickity-clack of windblown pebbles like the sound of shuffling footsteps before they began to run.

For a moment Shepard had to close her eyes, breathe deeply, and remember that the reapers were gone for good.  
She felt Liara’s hand on her shoulder. Blue eyes holding so much tenderness and love it couldn’t help but draw a pained smile from the Councillor. Shepard did not often allow herself to show weakness so Tali and even Jack stood back respectfully giving her a moment to fight through it.

Over the horizon the sun was creeping into view, bringing with it a spectacular sunrise etched with green and purple hues that painted a highly dramatic backdrop for the three massive silhouettes moving towards them.

“Keelah… What is that?” Said Tali, her hand up and angled to block out the sun.

“No clue but it’s coming in fast” Jack spat on the ground and cocked her shotgun “Better get ready.”

“Tali take the high ground while we dig in.” Shepard called.

The engineer sprinted backwards looking for a good position to survey the battlefield in. She switched her shotgun with an early version of the M-97 Viper, a rapid fire sniper rifle with a low recoil. Tali wasn’t the best shot with it but she appreciated the extra range. The Qurian crouched inside a convenient sniper nest on a shelter than hadn’t fully collapsed yet, she placed the rifle in front of her and activated her omnitool in case she would need to hack something.

Below her Shepard unhooked her Black Widow, the weapon unfolding itself as soon as it lost the current from her suit. She leveled the rifle, through the scope she could clearly see the approaching riders. “We got three Krogans riding something. Doesn’t look like anything I ever seen before, but it moves… almost too fluently for an machine. Got anything Tali?” 

“If I didn’t know any better I would say it was scorpions. Or really strange crabs.”

Jack flared her biotics, stretching her muscles and looking every bit at home with the situation “Sounds delicious. Did anyone remember to bring a tub of butter?” 

Shepard fired three shots as rapidly as the Widow would allow. The shields around the front runner died down and a single burst from Tali’s Viper cracked the headshell on the unshielded Krogan injuring him. He clung to the saddle on what Shepard had to admit was indeed something like a scorpion crab, and not the kind of scorpion crab they usually saw, it was larger and much to Shepard’s chagrin there were two tails flailing wildly behind it instead of one.  
Her next shot got the Krogan between the eyes and he stumbled backwards, his limp body catching on something Shepard couldn’t see. It bounced merrily with the creatures stride but did not fall off.

Tali worked meticulously, aiming and shooting in calculated slowness against the frightening amount of eyes on the creatures.  
They were now close enough for Liara and Jack to make them out. “What the fuck is that” the latter called.  
Liara observed her cooly “Let’s draw their attention, give them a few more shots” She sprinted left and Jack was quick to join her, creating the illusion of fleeing and turning the creatures to them.  
Shepard popped in a new heatsink and aimed at the soft tissue around the point where the creatures front claws met its body.  
The shot cracked the softer shell there, ripping a tendon. The claw went completely limp and for once Shepard witnessed with delight the look of pure terror upon a Krogans face as his mount stumbled forward falling over its own oversized claw and bringing the riders body down to smack helplessly against the front of its shell.  
Her delight quickly turned to horror when the Krogan dismounted and, for lack of a better term began sawing through the scorpions useless limb by shooting it over and over with his rifle.  
The beast was clearly having none of it because it turned on its owner its tails coming down to grab him between the pincers there.  
Shepard had no doubt that those pincers, which looked much more like two opposite black claws pushing together, contained some kind of horrible poison or other because they glinting ominously with moisture.

“Hey fuckface, how about some coverfire?” Jack yelled as she brought her shotgun up, burning out the heatsink in seconds. The Krogan she had been firing on fired back, his shield flickering but holding under her poorly aimed assault. Shepard couldn’t see Liara or the riderless Scorpion but Tali was firing desperately behind a ridge, neither of them called for support so Shepard had to assume they were holding.

Shepard whipped her Black Widow around, with jack weaving and bobbing around the front she quickly emptied the clip on the only safe target, the Krogan riders head. The first shot burned through the shield and bouncing off his visor. The second shattered the visor, filling the Krogans helmet with razor sharp shards of triple reinforced glass. The Krogan roared and rolled sideways off the scorpion, hiding himself from the snipers view. Shepard sheathed the widow and ran forwards, drawing her assault rifle.

“Jack get the Krogan I’ll handle this one”

“Like hell you will, I’m about to make this fucking dune lobster into lunch” She roared and her entire body flushed with unbridled biotic power. When she threw her warp the attack shredded the creatures exoskeleton with invisible claws, she surged forward punching the creature between the eye and cracking through its shredded shell. Its claws sagged but the tail still whirled around, hoping to hit a target it could no longer see.  
The Krogan came out of nowhere, shotgun blazing. Jack’s shield took the brunt before she flicked on her barrier, the skin on her exposed stomach got a little singed but there wasn’t any substantial injury.  
Jack reached out and pulled the Krogan towards her, ramming her shotgun into his shattered visor, firing one, two, three times.  
Shepard grimaced and emptied her clip into the still trashing scorpion crab. The bullets pierced easily into the exposed flesh of its face.

The biotic didn’t look too good though, her eyes were bloodshot and her teeth gritted in pain, probably from exhausting her biotics. Throwing that many abilities around in short succession could be incredibly taxing.  
“Watch Clawless out there for me” Shepard asked pointing to the ongoing battle between the scorpion and its rider and forcing Jack to sit down on the ground with a firm hand on her shoulder. Fatigue made the stubborn biotic comply. She leaned herself against a rock, watching the Krogan and Scorpion Crab do battle in the distance, neither seemed to be winning and the Krogan hadn’t managed to detach the useless claw yet. Not for lack of trying though.  
“Ey.He’s putting up a good fight. 500 credits on the lobster”  
Shepard eyed the tired looking Krogan, “That’s a fools bet, I’m gonna check out how Liara is doing.”  
“Suit yourself, this is grade a entertainment.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is exceptionally long. I couldn't get myself to cut it in the middle of the action. Hope you didn't find it confusing, I worry a lot about continuity and keeping it easy to follow. Let me know if I failed horribly. I have now caught up to my already published work so this is the last chapter I have typed out. The rest of the story is pretty much outline but I am working on several projects so I can't guarantee regular updates (Though they have been pretty regular so far).


	7. Primarch Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally a new chapter. I'm sorry they are not getting posted faster but I have a lot of other projects at the moment. If you're a fan of the Avatar universe I have something quite special in store for you.   
> Now lets get all this fighting and borderline smut out of the way so we can return to the endless droning of my fictional politicians. Enjoy!

Chapter 7; Primarch Down.

The familiar sound of the M97-Viper came back into focus. Four short bursts of three shots, then the seamless sound of an experienced hand changing a heatsink and clicking it into place.  
Then a stranger sound. Like a hollow piece of plastic hitting a high voltage electric fence.

Shepard cooled her step, popping in and out of cover, alert for the pitter of stray rifle shots telling her that her angle of approach was all wrong. Tali had changed positions while she was engaged and she couldn’t see her, she just knew the snap of her rifle came from somewhere near.

The smell of eezo crept into her nose. Shepard saw Tali standing on a low perimeter wall, completely out of hiding. There was a pile of heat sinks at her feet and even though her body was hidden behind her exosuit Shepard sensed urgency in her movements.  
The councillors heart sped up at the possibility Liara could be in danger. She placed an immense amount of trust on her bondmate and did not usually consider that Liara couldn’t handle herself Even when facing an unknown enemy such as this.

Shepard ran up the wall and burst into laughter.

Liara was holding the massive creature in a singularity occasionally pulling up her barrier when the tails swiped at her.

Even with the strain of keeping her singularity active the Asari spoke in her usual soft voice. “Honestly Tali are you even trying?” She teased, winking once at Shepard before she turned her concentration back on the creature.

Shepard couldn’t help but join her in teasing Tali “Jack just punched one of these to death. We have a mission you know we can’t wait all night for you to practice your marksmanship.”

“I appreciate the moral support Shepard” The Qurian said dryly.

“You’re gonna have to release it Liara, we can get a clear shot with all that spinning.”

Liara flashed Shepard a coy smile, drawing her heavy pistol and pushing the creature out of the singularity. It landed with a crash on the dirt below. 

It recovered instantly and lunged at Liara. Shepard opened fire and Tali followed her. Liara crackled with biotic energy and pushed it back, sidestepping the tails when it lost balance and rolled around. Her gun started singing and for a moment Shepard felt like the swaying scorpion was dancing to their tune. The Vipers rapid trio, the continued staccato of her revenant and the harsh pow… pow… pow of the heavy pistol a rhythmic baseline, together composing a harmonic sound of death.

The scorpions shell finally cracked and an orchestra of pain appeared to play through its body.   
Leaving behind only the distant sounds of Jack cheering and the telltale squish of flesh as it was pierced with something hard and unyielding at great speed.

Jack was sucking on a tube of protein gel, her eyes were still bloodshot but they had that sparkle of life in them she only got after killing or really good sex.  
“Pass me one of those” Liara said, catching the small tube and looking at it with disgust “Green apple? I tasted earth apples and this taste nothing like them.”  
“Beggars can’t be choosers.”  
Liara shrugged and squeezed half the content into her mouth.

“What are we gonna do about that?” Tali pointed to the scorpion crab, the Krogan who had tried to saw off its claw was lying dead next to it with a nasty gash through his stomach.

“Leave it? With some luck we can collect a bounty to kill it in 6 months. I can already see the bulletin in my head. WANTED: Deathclaw!” Jack spread her hands wide and laughed at her own wit.  
How about you three take care of it while I check on Garrus. They might have found Sparatus already.”

Her team lifted their weapons to show their compliance and sauntered off towards the creature. 

“She always knows how to spoil the fun” Jack pouted.

 

Garrus’ voice sounded in her ear clear as day, he sounded strangely chipper.  
“We got the target Shepard. You are clear for take off whenever you’re ready”  
“He’s in good health?”  
“I didn’t ask but he appears uninjured”  
“Hilarious. We’re on our way”

“Everyone is a fucking comedian all of a sudden” Shepard muttered to herself.

Kasumi was waiting in the docking bay. The young thief looked alert and fiddled nervously with her gun, she appeared uninjured but slightly off in a way Shepard wasn’t used to.

Shepard went to her equipment rack and smoshed her helmet onto its holder. Kasumi was at her side immediately.   
“We recovered Victus but he doesn’t look too good, think you better come check him out. He’s with Chakwas.”  
“Ran into trouble?”  
“Nothing we couldn’t handle. When we found him Sparatus was fighting his own men, I have no idea what was going on”  
Shepard frowned.   
“Make sure Liara and Jack eat something, I want Jack’s implant checked out before she sleeps.” She stepped into the elevator, still wearing her armor.

Victus was lying on his back, face scrunched up in pain while Dr. Chakwas directed the machine stitching up the small crater in his side.   
“Do you want more painkillers Primarch Victus? You look awfully pale.”  
“Not until I’ve spoken with Shepard.” He said through gritted teeth.  
He winced uncontrollably as the the laser guided by Chakwas passed over a nerve. He did not make any effort to talk when Shepard walked in, in spite of his previous statement. She stood a couple of steps back, watching the doctor reconstruct living tissue with quiet fascination.   
“What’s the damage?” Shepard asked.  
“Extensive. I’m not expert on Turian physiology but there is some internal ruptures here. He needs a specialist, and a lot of bedrest.”  
Shepard looked at Victus’ face, she knew what it was like lying there useless to the world and teetering on the brink of dead better than anyone. She crossed to the IV and gave the dial a small turn, moments later the scrunched up features on the wounded Turians face smoothed over and his laboured breath leveled out.  
Dr. Chakwas gave her a small smile and a nod.   
“Let me know as soon as he wakes up again.”  
“That I will do.”

The squad was waiting around the cafeteria table as they usually did after a mission. The biotics had full trays of food in front of them which they devoured with the gusto of a pack of starving orphans. Even Samara had relinquished a little of her dignity in favour of shuffling soy protein cakes into her mouth.  
Garrus sat close to Tali, their fingers intertwined and a happy smirk on his face.  
Shepard took the seat next to Liara who was so immersed in her tray she barely noticed.  
“So how did he get hurt?”   
“The same way anyone ever gets hurt, treachery.” Kasumi said, her voice slightly bitter.  
“It’s hard to say really, all we know is that the minute the guards laid eyes on us they began shooting. Only a few of them tried to defend him which makes me think they were expecting someone else.” Garrus said.  
“I guess you really lucked out on the loyalty department Shepard.” Jack said.  
“That I did. Can anyone think of a reason they’d take Victus instead of just outright killing him?.”  
“Well it is a conspiracy…” Jack noted.  
“They probably have something on him, better to discredit him than risk him becoming a martyr or something. Turians really like their martyrs.” Garrus said.  
“Great. Just what we need. We can’t know either way until Victus wakes up, and even then it’s not certain he will know. Whatever they have on him could be a lie.”  
“Or a war crime. There is a huge investigation going on to figure out who did what during the Reaper Wars. If they found something bad it wouldn’t be hard to make it look like Victus was involved.”  
“Either way, if this blows out of proportion we need a plan. I am sorry to say this but Garrus you’ll have to map out the succession order.”  
The Turian nodded grimly, and nearly everyone turned to look at Shepard.  
“You aren’t suggesting what I think you are?” Liara asked.  
“No. Victus did. I am merely trying to cover all our bases. We have a bit of a flight now there is plenty of time to plan and rest up.”  
“Where are we going?”  
Shepard gave them an apologetic smile “Only place there is to go when you are hiding a possible war criminal. We’re going to Omega.”  
The squad groaned but only Garrus looked completely horrified.

Joker wasn’t too happy about flying to Omega, the relay there had been damaged severely and even Aria’s considerable influence hadn’t been enough to make it’s repair a priority. Shepard could only imagine how bad things in Omega could get without the illegal trade to keep it busy.

Shepard stepped into Liara’s office. The Asari was busy talking to an agent so she flopped down on the bed at the end of the room, the one that was mostly used by Miranda whenever she was onboard. Shepard knew she should be down in the hangar, taking off her armor but she felt dead tired. It had been a long time since she shot at live targets.  
When the war ended, she had been almost happy to take the councillor position and end her active duty.   
It was harrowing to discover that while she did very much want to retire from shooting things in the face it was exceedingly difficult to trust anyone else to do her job. Mostly because they tended to fail or otherwise let her down, but just as much because her faith in other people’s loyalty had taken something of a dive since Saren betrayed the council and they held their hands over him and kept protecting him until it let to the death of two of her squadmates.  
Okay, granted Wrex was somewhat responsible for his own death that did not mean Shepard didn’t feel like it was preventable. The moment they set foot on that awful research station Wrex had become another person.  
One of Shepard’s strengths was her ability to forge ties with people that went beyond their previous affiliations. Wrex was the first time it had failed, and Mordin was the second.   
As far as she knew other people did not possess her leadership, how could she trust any of them to succeed in situations where even she had failed?

Shepard wasn’t sure how Liara had managed to strip her armor without waking her but she had a sneaking suspicion biotics had been involved. The slender frame of her lover was wrapped tightly around her torso, and their legs intertwined pleasantly. The sheets beneath her smelled faintly like Miranda and Jack but when she lifted Liara’s hand to kiss it the smell was all her, sweet and intoxicating.  
Duty compelled her to check her omnitool there was no message from Chakwas about Victus.  
Shepard sighed and snuggled into her bondmate, Liara stirred and lifted her head to place a lingering kiss on Shepard’s neck.  
“Illaine…” The Asari muttered and Shepard felt goosebumps travel down her spine. Nobody ever called her that apart from Liara, and only when she was in a particular mood. Shepard grinned lazily and turned her head to capture the Asari’s mouth in her own, their lips moving with deliberate languid movements against each other. Her leg moved between Liara’s and added just a little pressure, the sharp intake of breath from her lover told her when it was enough. Shepard's hand grabbed the Asari’s ass to hold Liara in place as she rocked and rubbed her thigh against her sex. Liara reached out to force Shepard to add more pressure…

“Damn that is hot.” Jack suddenly said.  
“Quiet you. You’re ruining the show.” Kasumi scolded her.  
Shepard lifted her head and groaned as she saw the two women watching them.   
“Don’t mind us” Jack said, her eyes twinkled with desire and Shepard knew that she was serious, Jack had propositioned them to something like this before. Only involving Miranda and perhaps not only for observation purposes.   
“Yeah, I believe your hand was on her ass and you were dry humping like this.” Kasumi did a couple of fluid thrusts into the air, her hips rolling with ease.   
Shepard groaned again. “Are you two here for a reason or can we have some privacy?”

Kasumi was pouting “No fun Shep. Not all of us get to have a sexy girlfriend on board the least you can do is share a little.”   
“Get out!” Shepard snapped.  
“Fine. You sound like you need this more than we do anyway.” Jack retorted, turning to Kasumi and offering her hand “Shall we go have our own fun?”  
Kasumi played a long, “Sure, we’ll just be on that sorry excuse for a bed downstair while you two hog all the pristine make out spots. Later Shep.”

Shepard was not amused when she saw the grin plastered on Liara’s face.  
“You could have at least let them watch while our clothes were on.” She chided.  
“Everyone on this fucking ship is incorrigible.”   
Liara lifted herself until she was straddling Shepard. “Is that so?”


	8. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter simply because things have more or less been so plot oriented so far. Apart from that little detour at the end there…  
> I really liked the idea of the story focusing mainly on Shepard and what is going on around her, it makes it easier for me to kinda “pretend” like I am just sitting at home playing the tamest sequel to ME3 ever. That is really what this is, my imagination telling me what happened after the crucible blew up, minus a lot of tedious scanning for metals or the copious amounts of sidequest.

_ Shepard took one more step. Her breathing was shallow she could feel cracked ribs grating against her lung tissue. At least that is what the suit VI told her, the last time Shepard died she had passed out from lack of oxygen long before the rush of adrenaline let her feel any real pain or discomfort. The only thing she had felt was panic. The infamous Commander Shepard, always cool under fire, always collected. Had panicked and squirmed, her gloved fingers unable to feel exactly where the breach in her armor was and prevent her precious air from escaping. There was an emergency foam to seal any minor breach but the speed of the escaping oxygen told her that it was happening too fast, even so she fought to prevent it. _

_ That was the kind of person she was. _

_ Shepard didn’t want to stop fighting, she didn’t want to die before she had achieved what she set out to do. _

_ Her suit VI was beeping and several lights on her wrist shone, telling her that medigel and stimulants were being administered generously, they had been like that for a while. _

_ Fuck morphine feels so fucking good she thought. _

_ Jack had said that once, when a beam nearly crushed her and Shepard had to drag her to safety. Liara had laughed in that nervous way she was prone to whenever she was genuinely scared. _

_ Liara… _

_ Shepard thought about their farewell. How easily their minds melded together and how perfect it had been. If only she had allowed herself more time, instead of being dead for so long. _

_ Now Shepard didn’t understand why or how she was alive anymore, or how she was still moving forwards. Liara had been hurt, everyone had been hurt. There was nowhere safe left to go. _

_ She looked into that light beam stretching so far into the sky like a simulacrum of an anchor, tethering earth to the object of its salvation. Reaching some unknown place on the Citadel never before walked by free will or touched by a human hand. _

_ Shepard’s gun lifted and shot someone coming at her. She couldn’t allow anything between her and her goal now. When she passed the corpse she was happy it had been a Marauder, she didn’t need anymore regret in her life, there was already plenty. _

 

_ When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.* _

 

_ Shepard braced herself and stepped into the beam. _

 

Her body jolted awake, sending a twinge of pain through her mangled body. Without hesitation she reached out and took the datapad that gave her access to the VisorCam archives.

 

_ \------------------------------------------- _

 

_ Liara was convulsing, her voice called out a name but nobody wanted to acknowledge it, Shepard wasn’t here she went through the portal and out of range nearly ten minutes ago. _

_ Dr. Chakwas rushed to the lower level clutching the emergency kit. _

_ “Joker we have to get out of here.”  _

_ “Not without the rest of the crew, I’m picking up their distress signal now.”  _

_ “Liara won’t make it.” _

_ “She’ll have to.” _

_ Garrus roused from where he had been leaning against the wall. “Is she stable enough to move?” _

_ Chakwas plunged a few stables into Liara’s stomach to keep her guts inside, “Should be good.” _

_ The Turian lifted Liara, ignoring his shaking legs and straining muscles and walked her to the elevator. “Don’t leave without them,” The Asari whispered. _

_ A few tears fell from his eye, he felt shame at his willingness to sacrifice her, but he couldn’t leave Tali behind, “I won’t.”  _

 

_ \--------------------------------------------- _

 

_ “Normandy SR-2 This is Falcon T five six niner, come in.” _

_ “Normandy responding. Is that you Miranda?” Joker answered. _

_ “The very same, my ship is down. I’m in a cerberus Kojack headed for Grissom’s Unit, requesting pick up.” _

_ “Jack okay?” _

_ There was a long silence. _

_ “I don’t know.” _

_ “Oh man. We’re on our way to sector CF45, think you can make it there?” _

_ “I’ll try. They’re nearby.” _

_ “Stay safe Miranda.” _

_ The biotic snorted, “You too.” _

 

_ \------------------------------------------- _

 

_ Tali had no idea were Samara had come from but she appreciated it immensely. _

_ The Justicar seared and crackled with unrestrained biotic power, charging the air with energy and causing the hairs on the nearby soldiers arms to stand straight.  _

 

_ The banshee blinked forwards. Fingers the length of their forearms ended in sharp claws black as midnight.  _

_ They closed around Samara’s neck.  _

_ She would have gasped if she wasn’t choking. _

_ It’s eyes were so empty, caught in an eternal meld. _

_ They stared into Samara’s.  _

_ The Justicar’s glared back all her anger and her hurt was reflected there.  _

_ Samara snarled like a wild animal her plunging her thumbs into darkness eliciting a shrill, deafening scream. Her fingers dug deeper into the sockets. Never would those black eyes transform an innocent again. _

_ The banshee clawed at her until... _

_ Tali held her shotgun against the banshee’s throat and severed it with a single shell. _

 

_ “You girls done cuddling yet? We have more of those screaming bitches coming this way! Where the fucking fuck is James.” Ashley yelled, the soft ratatat of her Revenant held back a sea of screaming, clawing husks. She stood tall, exposed to enemy fire but unable to let down or they would be overrun. _

 

_ That was probably one of the only times she had sworn in her life, the soldiers around her whirled to face the incoming wave she had pointed out. _

 

_ “The meaty human went to check on the small biotic called Jack, they signalled for help some time ago.” Javik informed them.  _

_ “We are so fucked.” A private next to the Prothean remarked. _

_ “Yes this is very familiar. Except the Prothean military did not allow nearly as many profanities.” Javik said, his particle rifle steaming from overuse had burned his skin several places when he touched it by accident. _

 

_ “Watch out!” Ashley bellowed. _

 

_ Seconds later an armored Brute landed in the middle of their fortifications, it had dropped itself from a nearby building.  _

_ It crushed a soldier snapping his bones under its weight.  _

_ The victorious roar reflected in the blue gleam of the husks and Ashley soon found herself pushed backwards towards the rampaging reaper behind her.  _

_ The Brute was making short work of their camp. _

_ Javik met it head on. Dancing with it, his rifle plastered the uncovered skin with shorts bursts. He ducked and weaved under its flailing arms. A blade extended from his arm, curved and grim looking, he plunged it upwards and into the creature’s skull with a wet crunch.  _

_ It spasmed in its death throes, snapping Javik’s arm.  _

_ The scream of a prothean had not been heard for 50000 thousand years but without warning the small band of soldiers found themselves witness to history. _

 

_ \-------------------------------------------- _

 

_ “Eeeey, punk chick. Thought you could use some help.” James called, he was using the thick blade on his assault rifle to stab and dismantle nearby husks. _

_ “Sup meat cake.” Jack called. “About fucking time someone came along we sent that signal nearly 30 minutes ago.” _

_ “Wow there chica, we came as fast as we could.” _

_ Jack grinned throwing a reave that left several husks frozen in place shaking uncontrollably. _

_ “Best put those muscles to work then. You alone?” _

_ “My guys are holding that junction there, you wanna rally with the others? This place is hella exposed.” _

_ “Bet your ass I do. HEY! Listen the fuck up people! Grab the ammo and the wounded we are blowing this joint.” Jack roared, “Prangley move your fucking ass or I’ll leave you and everything you hold dear behind.” _

_ The Grissom biotics stood together, with an enormous pull they pushed the barricade they had been hiding behind forwards giving themselves a little breathing room to escape in. _

_ “Jack are you there?” _

_ Hearing Miranda’s voice made her heart soar. Jack needed that, a reminder of why she was fighting. _

_ “Where else babe? Kept me waiting long enough.” _

_ “I’m nearly there, I called the Normandy for pick up.” _

_ “We’re overrun, we can’t wait any longer.” _

_ “I have Ashley on the Radio, move towards them I’ll make sure they rendezvous with you.” _

 

_ “That’s a negative Falcon we have too many wounded to move.” Ashley chimed in. _

_ “The kids won’t make it all the way to you.” _

_ “Miranda… I can’t ask these people to stay behind.” _

_ “You’ll do what you have to before that reaper fucking lands or you’re all dust.” _

 

_ In this moment everyone listening in turned their eyes skywards towards the tendrils coming closer and closer. The space battle was failing and the reapers were moving in for the final assault. _

_ \--------------------------------------------- _

 

Shepard ended the recording there, she knew what happened next. Javik had stayed behind with the wounded, forming an irregular firing squad, most of them propped up against debris, firing with whatever hands or arms they hadn’t lost. Flinging grenades without care. The world’s last Prothean had died holding the line. Somehow that didn’t make her so sad, she knew that is how Javik wanted to go. He never outright said it, but Shepard was pretty sure Javik would have been disappointed to outlive the war. 

 

Some of the cameras had smashed or bent out of angle to show anything but the audio still sent a chill down her spine.

 

Only the vision of Samara fighting, looking every bit like a vengeful goddess and Liara’s lithe body, dangling from Garrus’ arms lingered. 

Those were images she could never erase from her mind again. Liara said it was like that, when you saw your loved one nearly dead or worse. That the nightmares about holding Shepards semi frozen corpse never really let up, they just become infrequent. In their case soothed by the knowledge that this particular death had only been temporary.

 

There was much to do other than go over the logs from the battle. 

There were reports to file, paperwork. Guesstimates on when and where this and that happened. MIA’s and KIA’s to sort out. Yet she found herself here, datapad in hand replaying the last moments before the battle, seeing her friends and teammates face the ultimate odds. It was a horrible kind of self torture but impossible to quit.

 

She tried shifting inside her bandages, god how can anything itch this much? Shepard nearly wished for a clawing husk right now, at least it might hit some of the good spots before it ended her. 

Shepard glanced at the Datapad containing her own recording. It had been nearly 7 days since the crucible explosion and she still couldn’t look at it.

 

Shepard remembered what happened. Partially.

 

In hindsight it was all so confusing even if… the boy, the catalyst. Had explained it all so well. In the moment her choice seemed like the only one imaginable but now she wasn’t so sure. Not with the Normandy lost in space. Those recordings where the last thing she had left of them, she knew how it ended. They didn’t manage to outrun the blast from the crucible. Then they were out of range for the uplink and the recording stopped.

Shepard remembered hearing them scream. Joker’s desperation when EDI died and left him in full control of the ship. She remembered the collective sigh, so mechanical and otherworldly coming from the radios as hundreds of Geth were snuffed out.

A few tears slipped from the crook of her eyes. It was a passive sort of crying, silent. 

There were no deep emotions left to feel, they had all disappeared onboard of that ship going lightspeed into the dark expanse.

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

Sparatus clung to his monitor. 

The council bunker was hidden on a small moon, there were no reapers here yet his entire body was drenched in sticky icy sweat.

Around him was a horde of monitors. The techs manning them seemed bored at a glance but Sparatus knew it was from fatigue. Nobody here slept much, if they did they slept where they sat until the nightmares jerked them awake and they resumed their vigilance.

Tactical information was being passed to the appropriate sources but mostly they watched. Occasionally flagging a monitor for Sparatus’ viewing pleasure.

Pleasure might be the wrong sort of word here but the councillor found it appropriate for the circumstances. His main monitor had been steeled on one figure most of the evening. Not that petulant Shepard whom half the room had decided to put on the grand monitor, but on Wreav.

Sparatus had never really seen Krogans fight. Now he found himself fascinated by the raw power. Stronger than a Turian but less graceful. Hard and spiked and utterly merciless to their enemies.

Wreav walked through a sea of husks, the clammy bodies clawing at him but meeting only indifference. Wreav lifted his assault rifle, a monstrosity that he had unhinged from an overturned ATV and fired, laughing with barely contained glee.

 

Before that, there had been that speech.

 

Wreav was an ambitious man, but so was Sparatus. The Turian grinned and returned to feeding Wreav information. 

\------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can tell this chapter is a bit of a flashback set about 6 months prior to our storyline.  
> We are nearing some plot resolutions that won’t be happening behind the scenes like that thing with Victus, wow what a letdown that was.  
> Expect about 10 chapters more, or rather about 7 key points.  
> For something called Rise of the Krogans, this story sure doesn’t seem to have many.  
> Again this is because I wanted to keep it primarily Shepard POV, this is a bit of a detour from that obviously but after this we should be back on track.
> 
> *The quote here is by Edward Teller, a physicist and generally considered the the father of the hydrogen bomb.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard finally arrives at the only spaceport fit for harboring a fugitive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never played the Omega DLC or read any of the comics etc. All my knowledge comes from the game and whatever tidbits of information I have picked up, so I apologize for any inaccuracies.

 

**Omega** looked shabbier than ever. 

Joker lazily steered the ship into the asteroids enhanced orbit. They floated around the station a few times before a gruff voice gave them their designated port. 

 

Normally this place had ships of all classes zooming in and out and a good portion waiting to dock in the larger cargo bays, the council had tightened regulations on all freighters and it appeared to be taking its toll on Omega making everything seem uncharacteristically still. 

 

At a passing glance one might even think that the station was abandoned emergency lights and the docking bay stayed lit but nearly everything else had been turned off, adding to the already eerie mood that surrounded the place.

 

More than once, one or more of the council had to condemn the space station for disregarding basic safety measures and remind the public that under no circumstances did they regard it fit for habitation. That and the whole piracy and smuggling business of course. 

Shepard didn’t mind much, either the underground thrived here were people could hate it at a respectable distance or it thrived in the underbelly of otherwise well renowned cities. To see Omega stunted like this was nothing but bad news. Aria T’Loak didn’t like when people messed with her business.

 

That fact left the human councillor in a rather precarious situation. Shepard internally groaned at all the paperwork she would have to fill out to explain why she was here about to make deals with a known criminal. If Aria’s band of smugglers didn’t blow her her head off first.

 

Samara wrinkled her nose at the System Alliance uniform but donned it anyway. Shepard was just glad she had agreed to come the Justicar had not been herself for some time. Shepard understood of course. You don’t lose two of your girls in a night and come out swinging. 

It takes time to rebuild. 

 

Jack and Kasumi had both looked positively like shit when Shepard told them to suit up and join her detail.

 

After disturbing Shepard and Liara the pair had moved to the bar and gotten themselves positively shitfaced. Dr. Chakwas had administered a neutralizer to sober Jack and Kasumi up and Shepard gave them both a stern lecture on drinking before missions. They would both be doing chores for a week which meant parts of the Normandy were about to be cleaned that hadn’t been clean since she was built, a detail Shepard took immense satisfaction in.

 

Neither jack nor Kasumi had the mental capacity to complain about their punishment or about being forced to wear Alliance uniforms. They grunted and threw nasty glares at their commanding officer while strapping each other in with sluggish movements. Their skin gleamed oddly from Chakwas’ antidote, like they’d had a run in with a pack of Thorian creepers and forgotten to wash off the goo. 

  
  
  
  


The fumes was what hit Shepard first.

 

Like burning garbage.

 

It is uncertain if it was better than the normal plain garbage smell but it sure as hell wasn’t pleasant.

 

The Councillor always liked the illegal spaceport, there was a certain charm to the place that one normally didn’t find in space. Maybe the lowest levels of the wards had a bit of the same thing. 

Those deep levels where sanitary services often fell into disrepair and were slow to function again.

Letting dirt and grime gather around the vents and and drains if only temporary. 

 

Any dirt on the clean plastic coating of the Citadel walls scrubbed off so easily though. That was the thing with the Citadel, everything always scrubbed off so easy. Even the knowledge that is was basically a super weapon hadn’t put anyone off putting it back together and resuming their lives on it, it’s funny really how badly people want things to go back the way there where instead of doing something new. Organic life, for all its colors and compositions sure was predictable.

  
  


Here everything seemed rusty. 

 

Even the plastic and the enamelled steel plates somehow appeared rusty from the buildup of grime that coated them. 

Function over beauty, Shepard though. Nothing was replaced until it broke. 

 

Tali followed Shepard's gaze, obviously unimpressed with the unsanitary conditions. “I give this station 20 years before the air becomes fully toxic.” She narrowly avoiding stepping in a bit of discarded trash, some kind of goo clinging to it. “Maybe 15.”

Tali fiddled with a few of her suits settings, flicking the display towards Shepard so she could see the air saturation. “The Oxygen Farm must be working at max capacity yet it still doesn’t seem to be producing enough to satisfy everyone on board.” 

“Thought we fixed those last time.”

“We prevented them from poisoning everyone, I am not sure that counts as fixing.” 

 

The halls leading from the docking bay were stacked to the ceiling with cargo, sour looking mercs prowled between it pushing wheezing refugees around and shouting at nobody in particular. 

 

“Keelah.” Tali exclaimed when she saw the sea of people between them and their goal. “No wonder it cannot keep up, look at all these people.”

 

The doc manager scrambled to his feet to process them, he was a pleasant human quite up in his years. You rarely saw humans in any position of power outside Alliance owned territory and Aria wasn’t normally quick to trust them either. “Been awhile since we saw the Normandy around these parts.” 

“You value your job you’ll forget she was ever here chum.” Garrus said, he signed the mans datapad with his alias, Archangel. 

“Ah yes. Welcome to Omega Mr. ah. Angel.” 

The dock manager paled and hurried back to his desk.

 

Everything around Shepard told her senses she was walking directly into a trap, which was comforting. Omega always felt like walking into a trap and half the time the feeling wasn’t just for show.

 

The guards shot nasty glances towards Shepard’s party, fingers hovering near their triggers.

 

Shepard ignored her burning muscles and walked confidently towards the Elevator shafts, her armor lessened her limping some, at a passing glance no one would have noticed the slightly off rhythm of her steps.  

The squad puffed out their chests and raised their weapons at the mercs. Garrus and Jack walked directly behind Shepard, meeting the glances with cold hard stares.

 

The councillor wore all her regalia and gleamed with black and gold. 

A precaution that opened doors when the sight of well maintained rifles and shotguns could not. 

 

They pushed through the masses and claimed the elevator on its next pass. 

“Hey! You can’t just do that!” Someone shouted.

“Watch us.” Jack growled.

 

On the top level things looked positively grim, the smell of rotten garbage was deafened by a symphony of thousands of unwashed bodies. 

To an earthling who’d never experienced the intensity of smells in space, it would be akin to sticking your head inside the blowhole of a rotting whale and taking a nice long sniff. 

The human body for all its unpleasant smells really have nothing on Batarians or Vorcha, though the latter arguably always smells positively awful. For a stint all the rage on Omega had been air filters until the generators became overburdened and the price on power grew tenfold.

 

Aria’s guard held a huge perimeter around Afterlife keeping the refugees out. 

For the first time loud techno music didn’t pump out of the entrance. 

Shepard noted it with concern; if Aria T’Loak was taking this seriously things were about as bad as they could be.

The guards were mostly biotics wearing dark purple armor with a orange O on the front, they let Shepard and her party pass without incident. No doubt Aria already knew they were here and had sent word in advance.

Shepard wondered briefly if letting Aria join the gangs together had been a good call, united they were a small army which posed some rather nasty possibilities.

  
  


A glass shattered and there was the clang and grunts of brawling. 

 

Several mercs were enrolled in a scuffle. Their spectators yelled insults and encouragements. 

Most of the room seemed too drunk to care. 

One particularly inebriated Krogan finally had enough and ended the fight with a few hard punches. The crack of bone on bone never really felt familiar it always carried a sense of wrongness. Like you know the body isn’t supposed to make that sound.

Shepard noted how few Krogans appeared to be in space lately.

 

“Well well well, if it isn’t  _ Councillor _ Shepard.” A voice drawled next to her. Grizz looked tired, he was clutching at a crutch and gingerly shielding a ratty looking bandage. Upon seeing him Shepard realized that a lot of the mercs around her didn’t look to be in fighting shape.

 

“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes” Shepard said, flicking her eyes to his shielded area.

 

Grizz chuckled. “You aren’t much to look at either you know. C’mon, Aria is waiting for you.”

  
  


……………………………….

 

“Didn’t think I’d see you here again Shepard. Or should I say Councillor?” Aria T’Loak eyed Shepards armor. “My, aren’t we dressed up for a party.” She said dryly. 

 

Aria gestured to the couch and Liara took a seat next to Shepard. An asari dancing girl served them drinks while Aria stared at her hungrily. 

 

“I take it you are not here on a house call? You never do come around as much as before since that one claimed you as her bondmate. I feel replaced.”

 

Liara scoffed.

 

“If it is nostalgia you want Aria I am sure you will be delighted I am here to ask for a favor.”

 

Aria’s smirk deepened at that. Clearly she had anticipated it. “Well then, neither of us where ever much for the pleasantries of polite conversation. I assume you are in need of my army?”

 

“In time, maybe.”

 

Aria frowned. “I see. The current state of our… diplomatic differences with the Krogan have not gone over your head.”

 

“I’m afraid things run a little deeper than that.”

 

Aria turned to her bodyguards “Leave us.”

 

“First there is the matter of payment for my services.”

 

Shepard considered this for a moment. Aria had all the credits she could want, whatever she asked for could be something that would come back to haunt Shepard. The councillor thought it best to make an offer Aria could not refuse.

 

“There is the issue of your refugees. My technician says that Omega is operating on borrowed time.”

 

“And how do you suggest we get rid of them? All of our transports have been commandeered, we barely have an escape pod in space right now. Omega is crawling with them and we have nothing coming in our out. I am emptying my coffers here just to keep people fed. We have no medical supplies, air and water is running low.” 

The accusation in her tone stung a little, but it was justifiable. 

 

Aria T’Loak emptying her coffers to keep people fed. Now there’s a joke for ya. Shepard let it slide.

 

“Commandeered by who?”

 

Aria scoffed, “You’d believe me if I said it was a colleague of yours?”

 

“Only if you say Sparatus. Vanern doesn’t have the guts for treachery.”

 

“Who else? Everyone knows he’s been slinking around like a snake in the grass since the war ended, and Tevos is more likely to come looking for favors than ships. The way Thessia looks right now Omega is about as close as the Asari gets to a seat of power. If I wanted to bring the Asari together under my banner I would and there wouldn’t be nobody able to stop me.” 

 

Shepard groaned internally. She had had about enough of people trying to lead and “unite” their people, at least she took some comfort in the fact that the Asari was already united, even if they had no government.

 

“So why don’t you?”

 

Aria gave Shepard a withering stare “Excuse my rudeness ‘Councillor’ but not all of us becomes like a bitch in heat when the collar of responsibility is dangling in front of our nose. If you had any sense you would have taken your ship and said your so-longs while you had the chance. Goddess fucking knows we need you in space right now not mouthbreating with the rest of them.”

 

Shepard narrowed her eyes at the insult but thankfully military life, and jack, had a tendency to harden the soul against the crassness of people like Aria.

“I don’t expect a smuggler to understand that without order your little business would be permanently flooded with refugees and all your mercs would have been conscripted into my army or rotting in jails.”

 

“Oh I do understand that. It is just so much more fun on this side of the law.” She gestured to a tray of Red sand and other enhancers that Shepard had been dutifully ignoring. 

 

“Regardless of our philosophical disagreement. We still have a problem on our hands here. You have proof that the Turian forces commandeered your ships on Sparatus’ orders I take it?”

 

Her what-do-you-think stare was as condescending as ever.

 

“Excellent. I do believe we are in business then.”

 

“And pray tell me Shepard, what can I expect in return?”

 

“Leverage.”

 

Aria’s eyebrows shot up. “I don’t assume you are offering yourself as a hostage. What do you have?”

 

Shepard grinned lazily, Liara snickered next to her, she knew that grin well it usually showed itself whenever Shepard knew she had the upper hand or was about to.

 

“First of all… Out of the pure goodness in my heart I will divert several supply ships here, let them make a few runs to sol and back and this place should be back in shape, I don’t suppose you want all your refugees gone?”

 

“You suppose correct.”

 

“Well once this place is cleared out, your men are free to ‘borrow’ the ships for a while, granted you send the crew back in one piece mind you. I think you will find the System Alliance a bit too preoccupied to deal with the loss of a few freighters.”

 

“I can see the catch coming Shepard, spill it out, no way two freighters are worth that measly scrap of information you wanted.”

 

Shepards grin turned wolfish. “Indeed it is not. You see I am transporting a very special very wanted man, and I need your help keeping him safe.”

 

“Anyone important?”

 

“More important than you know Aria.” Shepard said grimly. “I know things have been, unsteady between us, there is not much trust. I could take this man to the Systems Alliance and have him placed in some shithole on earth but the alliance leaves paper trails, protocols and guard payments, medical care personnel. I can’t afford any screw ups until I can utilize his value.”

 

Aria let out a mock gasp “Commander Shepard. That is perhaps the smartest thing you’ve ever said.”

 

Shepard cleared her throat, praise from Aria T’Loak was always something of a mixed bag.

 

“I will not say his name here, because even you have holes in your defenses and men who cannot be trusted. I warn you Aria, that if news spread that you have him I will hold you responsible and so will the Alliance. He needs to survive and he needs to be kept safely until he can testify.”

 

“Christ Shepard, are you always this intense?” Aria turned her eyes to Liara and appraised her for a moment with more interest than Shepard approved of, she looked like she was waiting for the other Asari to confirm her belief but Liara held her stare without revealing even a sliver of emotion.

 

“Fine. We have a deal. His safety and everything I have about the Turians and Sparatus for two freighters with the Alliance Seal, but I want papers and a human crew to operate it.”

 

Shepard frowned at that, whatever deals Aria T’Loak made around the galaxy she did not much want her name involved in them.

“That is a little harsh…”

Liara leaned in, whispering in her ear “I can make it happen. Without getting your office involved.”

Shepard gave her an inquisitive stare, she did not like to think that Liara had agents within the Alliance with such power.

“But we will make it happen.”

Aria T’Loak eyed them with obvious interest. Before she could say or suggest anything inappropriate Shepard continued.

“I know you are not one for charity Aria, but I think you can guess where my interests lie right now. If you have any information that can help us I hope you have the good sense to hand it over. We are working on basically nothing here.”

 

Aria nodded and finally had the decency to look even a little serious. “I understand Shepard. Civil war is good for business but only if the side without gun toting fast breeding lizards win.”

 

“I think that would be in everyones best interest.” Shepard agreed.

  
Aria clinked her glass to Shepards and they resumed a somewhat pleasurable silence. At least as long as Shepard did not look at Aria.


End file.
